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Dean Mitchell

Angel • Joined: 28 November 2013

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* Hilary’s Special Stuff * Can I open the floor and simply ask WHY the bloody hell people aren't talking about this wine... ?? This is the sort of thing that Hilary Briss would be serving up to his “ locals “ this is indeed “ special stuff “ or as I would call it “ proper gear “ that’s a Yorkshire thing It captures the whole essence of what constitutes quality wine I’m not a serial reviewer, but this is a wow wine and it’s special enough to more than warrant a few words of acclaim. On the nose :- plenty of fresh and vibrant fragrance/flavours of raspberry and cherry mixed in with earthy mushroom and cinnamon ( great contrast ) feels aromatic It’s heady ( you keep going back for another sniff ) This is probably the significant other to Caroline’s Press in terms of profile and contrast ( if you like that, you’ll love this ) It has such an expression of place and time and its driven right through its core ( its hard to put into words ) On the palate :- structure wise it’s sound even for a young Pinot with cherry and freshly crushed raspberries and truffle with hedge-growth coming through with the delicate lick of French oak coming into view on the finish with a sizzle of bacon and farmyard qualities I’ve had some brilliant Pinot’s in my 4 years here.. Daryl’s Russian River Gerd’s Sandstein Caroline’s Press Phil’s Grasshopper And the latest recruit Olly’s Masters & Jack is another favourite I enjoyed the Santolin Family Reserve but this eases up the bar a notch! If you love Pinot and haven’t got onboard this yet, then what the hell are you playing at This is youthful and still pretty playful but has balls and a really savoury underbelly that really showcases the contrast between light and playful meeting up with the butch and savoury characteristics and a darker nature * Cue licking of teeth * It’s at the top of the price league for Naked Pinot’s but equally this is absolute premium Yarra Pinot and still feels like a snip at £16.50 It’ll be part of my Christmas Day proceedings that’s for sure! Adrian & Rebecca this is simply stunning As for me I’m going to cry through Hilary’s letterbox for another sample of “ special stuff “ Cheers

* Return Of The Ted * Ohh scary ( first review ) no pressure! Firstly and most importantly, welcome back dear old friend... you've been missed ( then some ) Right, now that the pleasantries have been dispensed... Sometimes it feels like I've been talking about certain wines for an age ( I'm sure we all our favourites that we wax lyrical over time and again ) Well one of my genuine must grab wines is Bill & Claudia's Theodore " Ted " Reserve.. Besides you don't just get your own nickname by just moonlighting as wine, you have to be more! I first stumbled onto this on its ( 13 ) vintage and the news was just breaking that Mother Nature wasn't playing ball over in Marlborough and we wouldn't be seeing a ( 14 ) vintage So we weren't seeing another SB for a vintage ( no big wide spread loss, right..?? WRONG ) As first impressions go that ( 13 ) vintage really worked me over! I honestly think during that barren spell that a small " unofficial " band of site regulars ( I won't start name dropping ) started creating its now almost legendary status... Ted was now born! ( does anybody still call it Theodore ? ) aside from B&C I should have maybe said at the start of the review that this was a slow burner.... no apologies will be offered I served this up alongside a nice fillet of haddock with a dash of olive oil and some chopped capers and chive with a few baby potatoes On the nose :- after 15 minutes in the cooler the nose oddly still felt a little bit closed off but the oak element was still lingering Left it alone and opened a beer while prepping the haddock Around room temperature the nutty aspect is alive and kicking and almond and spiced pear are coming to the fore Things just picked up.. On the palate :- this is where the battle lines get drawn.. Just wow.. Initial sweeping waves of light papaya and guava with a dab of chopped pineapple almost tune in to the overlapping textured layers of crème brûlée and its structure isn't as far removed from Roussanne ( that's just my opinion ) as you might think It has a slight oily texture and with the faint oak undertones added to the nutty/almond infusion you get a real sense of this wine's barrel fermented origins The finish is spectacularly lengthy and indulgent and those layers are still appearing with herb and apricot Vintage on vintage Ted's star has been on the rise and I think this is perhaps my favourite vintage yet! Oh I know I played safe with fish but I think this style of SB really opens up the floor to such a wider variety of food matches ( it'll be pan fried chicken breasts and mushroom sauce next time ) which from memory I did serve alongside an earlier vintage ( I think ) Summing up.. This is such a fantastic wine and if I could take the bottle to bed without Cheryl saying I'm taking things too far, I would! Probably the best SB of any style currently on the site and for its price point on any site! If you find something that matches this for complexity and intriguing layers for 12 quid please give me a call... My love of SB is widely known but I don't love this merely because it's a Sauvignon Blanc, I love it because it's brilliant.... That sounded Oprah-Esq Thanks once again for crafting out this sublime drop for us Bill & Claudia Ted your time has finally come for 5 big one's.... #Ted

* Blockbuster Shiraz * Right first things first... There's absolutely no point standing on ceremony, I'm the sort of bloke who likes Shiraz to have big balls and boy oh boy this has balls on balls! I'll open up by saying that this wine fell into my ever expanding list of wines to review, bottomless cavern but it was John Jordan's excellent review which made me get my rope and torch and head on down to retrieve it.. ( I can't help but think of the League Of Gentlemen " Stump Hole " episode... I myself am not fond of the darkness- I sleep with the light on now.. It's in the darkness that I see the boys face.. Eyes protruding... Tongue out.. Black... Anyway.. I'm sure you can remember it! If you don't know what I'm talking about go look in mirror until you find yourself..!! So now I'm in the box seat to comment on Sam's latest Shiraz after ploughing through his back catalogue over the years.. I've enjoyed the full range with varying degrees of enjoyment. That sweeter kick lies in the Tait Hamilton & Prospector even the Butterfly Effect & Major Plains but it's the Victorian that's a bit of an arse smacker and this that I've really got love for.. Well also Bron's artwork This needs time inside the " waiting room " for new viewers that's my decanter and 2 hours plus is my shout and trust me you'll see the benefits On the nose :- you'll be greeted by a big fruity explosion of blackberries and bramble then come's the cinnamon and spice mixed with a deft aroma of oak and vanilla.. On the palate :- Boom! Boom! Like some old cannon going off in the Strathbogie Ranges and scattering the local wildlife... Yes this is so me.. Deep ravishing taste that just coats your palate with dark ripe fruits married with sumptuous smooth dark chocolate and a snap of vanilla but it's the dry nature of the wraparound that sings so loudly to me and really resonates with that leather and dab of smokey tobacco coupled with a slight savouriness on the finish.. It's got bags of power that really compliments the amazing concentration of fruit and makes this so premium tasting.. I was in two minds before writing a review on this as to what heart rating to give this ( I've always felt it was 4.5 hearts but memory is such a great tool and those big flavours have returned to haunt me and so this is in truth a big daddy shandy 5 hearts.. I've or we've been treated to some great Shiraz at Naked over the last 3 years or so ( well in my time here ) and another big standout was Daryl's DRG Barossa that was equally on the money and this sits alongside it at my top table of Naked Shirazes For something foodie to match this with it must MUST be COW do yourself a favour and venture down to your local butchers and say I want cow! And plenty of it... A big slab of fillet ( Ohhh Yess ) There's a reason why this sort of wine sells out so quickly, because it's bloody top draw! I was going to throw a few catchy ozzy tag lines in for added good measure... Well, actually I'm gonna.. Ripper.. Strauth.. You Beaut.. Can you tell what it is yet.. Oh wait maybe scratch that last one off!! I think what I'm saying or trying to is that Sam's kinda like the Shiraz worlds version of Steven Spielberg in that everything he touches turns into a blockbuster! This is a modern classic and deserves its lofty buy again percentage of 96% and 527 would buy it again, well actually make that now 528! Sam thanks once again for crafting out something special for not just myself but for those lucky enough to have sampled it.. I'm now going to look into the darkness for a few hours.. And tell myself it wasn't my fault... Oh whoops that'll be the LOG again.. This has been a strange review!

Small and Small Sylvia Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2018

£24.99

Sometimes in life you need something to break the shackles of apathy And this wine generally vintage on vintage does the trick without question The ( 18 ) vintage represents my sixth vintage of this fantastic drop and it's as good now as my first ( 13 ) I remember the remarkable ( 14 ) a monstrously good savvy that scooped the best in show sub 15 pounds Decanter WWA Seems a lifetime ago but seriously, how good was that vintage So back to the here and now.. this vintage sing's and as you'd expect from a top end Awatere Valley Savvy aside from the typical tropical notes of gooseberry and pineapple working in harmony with undertones of lychee and passion fruit with real depth of flavour that tantalise the palate with a nice sliver of acidity running through its core I buy spades of this stuff and it's a prime example of why I still buy through naked because if I was buying this elsewhere it would be 20 pounds plus ( and on comparison the RRP which is always a bone of contention and very personal, stacks up ) I served a few bottles of this up last month in the garden with a big bucket ( yeah a bucket ) of fresh Moules Mariniere with freshly chopped garlic and parsley and door stop sized chunks of warm uncut loaf Trust me in the north yorkshire sunshine with the breeze coming from the sea with friends sat chewing the fat and watching the ashes this was pretty bloody good For my money it's still pound for pound the best straight up new world Savvy on the site and if you disagree, you are wrong.. simple ( i love all the Small Savvys for diffrent reasons and the Theodore in particular ) Summing up, this get's 4.5 hearts I'd normally leave a heart or something for bottle aging or knitting down but you drink new world savvy fresh and young and this is drinking fantastically well now Thanks once again Bill & Claudia for sharing this premium piece of artwork with us mere mortals

Petit Paradis de Qanafar 2015

£24.99

Firstly it seems fitting to plonk something on about this with the new vintage dropping onto the site last week.. ( granted it's a bit late in the day for this vintage review ) Naked's first step into Lebanese wine territory and this big lumbering beast doesn't disappoint and comes with spades of middle eastern weight and bluster I was fortunate over the summer to dip my toe into the Lebanese wine world over a bottle of Chateau Kefraya Comte De M, factor in a roaring BBQ and some beers ( you get the idea ) The next day the wine was still at the forefront of my mind and I knew I had a bottle of Eddy's in the rack so I made an afternoon of it, served up alongside a slow roasted shoulder of north yorkshire lamb with seasoned mash and some trimmings... Like any big blend this deserves maximum respect so this had 2/3 hours kicked back in the waiting room ( that's my decanter for the less informed ) This sumptuous smouldering blend made up of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon 15% Merlot 15 % Syrah is a mammoth of a wine very earthy with delicious savoury and bold flavours really dominating the landscape and has a very rustic rugged almost animalistic feel to it, on the wraparound and an almost chalky feel this really clings to your teeth with a blackcurrant compote cassis mixture If theres one point of mild negativity this is only a baby.. if feels despite its many merits that this won't be hitting its straps for at least another year or two Huge potential on a monstrous level I've yet to sample it's big brother " Chateau " but I'll be getting a couple of bottles when its back in stock If you like playful reds this isn't for you, unless you consider wrestling a wild boar naked in the mud as a pleasurable pursuit Overall a fantastic insight into such an extreme wine making region and a pleasure to sip and enjoy Thank you Eddy I'm off to go get stripped off and find a wild boar!

Masters and Jack Central Otago Pinot Noir 2016

£24.99

* A Master At Work * Firstly, it's always interesting when you see a new wine land on the site and it's made even more interesting when you throw a new winemaker into the equation.. But when you add a grape you really appreciate and from a region which is notorious for giving fantastic examples of said grape then it's a case of " HELLO " This has such an inviting heady nose and on pouring it's colour of translucent garnet really stands out.. It looks sexy in the early evening sunshine On the nose :- very fragrant with plenty of rose petal and a good breezy flow of hedge growth and beneath that hedge, those juicy blueberry and cherry notes followed by a clove spice with liquorice.. It almost makes me what to don my speedo's and jump in... ( apologies for that mental image ) On the palate :- plenty going on here, classic flavours of blueberry and plum with a nip of crushed raspberry mixed with layers of dark chocolate and cinnamon.. The acidity has a nice level that runs through this and matched with those ripening tannins, you get a delicious medium rather than light/medium wine and on the finish you are welcomed with an almost savoury element which is reminiscent of an older world Pinot ( I think ) This verges on been quite a ballsy " Otagoian " Pinot ( trust me that will be in the next edition of the oxford dictionary ) My general musings are this is still very youthful but is drinking very well now and those contrasting flavours that a quality Central Otago Pinot bring to the party are there now for the taking I think that Pinot Noir is like the SAS when it comes to food pairing it basically can go up against so much and still manages to come out dusting itself off.. Mr Versatile I served this up against a roast joint of lamb and Hasselback potatoes ( first attempt ) loaded with garlic and herb and a squeeze of lemon ( I think I could almost pension myself off with lamb at the minute ) beautiful I love Phil's Grasshopper Rock and with all honesty I think this just ( just ) falls behind that and having had Rod's CO offering a month or so back this actually reminded me of that, which again I rated equally highly.. I'm swinging around 4 hearts on this and considering that I'm a generous Yorkshireman ( yes you read that right ) I'll gently place this at the chunky end of that heart scale but it's also worth pointing out that at 16 quid this sits around some very good company on the site.. It's common knowledge that Naked have had some brilliant PN's on the site over the last few years and welcoming another cracking example only heightens my belief that Naked have this market pretty much boxed off... This has been a great first offering from the former Ata Rangi wrangler and I'm increasingly looking forward to seeing more from Olly.. ( hopefully ) I wouldn't be surprised in seeing a Martinborough PN in the near future as I know Olly farms a few acres at his estate there... "Wink Wink" See I don't get into bed with somebody without finding out if they snore or not.. Although some might question that! Anyway, fingers crossed on that Cheers Olly and I'll be buying more of this in the not so distant future.. Great stuff

Simpsons of Servian Cuvee MMXV Speciale Syrah 2015

£16.99

* Golden Puffin Syrah * Good Evening.... ( you'll get it soon enough ) Occasionally when drinking wine I get the odd little notion of nothingness ( sounds odd right ? ) but it happens and something creeps up on the psyche like a stranger in the night... The particular notion that came into view a few weeks back while drinking this again was " MacGuffin's " now I know the long suffering friends of mine on here know I'm a big Hitchcock fan and for those who don't know what a MacGuffin is well stick around and I'm sure things will became more clearer ( maybe ) So.... I've now had this wine a few times and can pretty much get a good handle on it 2 hours is my required suggestion for the waiting room.. ( that's my decanter by the way, for the less informed ) I've served this with a big slab of cow and also with a mixed meat platter but it would also work so well with BBQ'd pork or a nice piece of seasoned grilled lamb ( don't be shy to experiment with matching this up because it's a uniquely different Syrah ) On the nose :- Stewed plum and blackberry really flush out but it's the lingering secondary aromas of earthy wood with roasted coffee bean and dark chocolate with a touch of vanilla that really kicks off the imagination On the palate :- This is indeed a curious Syrah in the respect that it's a much lighter wine and verging on something perhaps medium to full rather than just full ( that's just my taste perspective of course ) This is rich and luxurious and plenty of those archetypical Syrah qualities flow through the wine but it's the underbelly of this wine which throws you off the scent Yeah there's earthy/woody hedgegrowth mixed with cinnamon and spice you'd probably expect that, but.. Here's this MacGuffin It feels almost like a stout or porter on the wraparound with roasted coffee beans and chocolate with toasted malt and the dab of vanilla which is almost elusive then the slice of spice/pepper on the finish It's such a clever wine that with all those big bold flavours in the backdrop that you'd think how on earth could you ever say that this was in any way in part a medium/full bodied wine but the skill and craft make it so ( trust me ) Right MacGuffin's The term MacGuffin was coined by the master of suspense Mr Alfred Hitchcock and basically it's a plot device or gimmick which you can hang the tension in the film or in this case the wine! It's a bit of a wild card element which he put in his films and something which ultimately carried little or no significance in the films journey Think " Scottie's vertigo in Vertigo or the 40 thousand dollars in Psycho or even the colour red in Marnie ( if you've stopped reading by this point I won't hold it against you ) All great pieces of nothingness in essence For a bit of added Hitch he also loved dropping landmarks in his films and this feels kind of landmark itself ( or with another 6 months to a year in the bottle it will ) I know I've dropped Hitch into one of my reviews a year or two back but what can I say I'm a plagiarist's plagiarist and my moral radar is consistently low At £12.50 this isn't perhaps the cheapest example of French Syrah on the site but it's worth the extra in my opinion and having had both the 14 & 15 vintage both are wonderfully unique Charles & Ruth have struck the golden puffin once again here and I'd happily buy more..

Small and Small Theodore Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2016

£15.99

* Return Of The Ted * Ohh scary ( first review ) no pressure! Firstly and most importantly, welcome back dear old friend... you've been missed ( then some ) Right, now that the pleasantries have been dispensed... Sometimes it feels like I've been talking about certain wines for an age ( I'm sure we all our favourites that we wax lyrical over time and again ) Well one of my genuine must grab wines is Bill & Claudia's Theodore " Ted " Reserve.. Besides you don't just get your own nickname by just moonlighting as wine, you have to be more! I first stumbled onto this on its ( 13 ) vintage and the news was just breaking that Mother Nature wasn't playing ball over in Marlborough and we wouldn't be seeing a ( 14 ) vintage So we weren't seeing another SB for a vintage ( no big wide spread loss, right..?? WRONG ) As first impressions go that ( 13 ) vintage really worked me over! I honestly think during that barren spell that a small " unofficial " band of site regulars ( I won't start name dropping ) started creating its now almost legendary status... Ted was now born! ( does anybody still call it Theodore ? ) aside from B&C I should have maybe said at the start of the review that this was a slow burner.... no apologies will be offered I served this up alongside a nice fillet of haddock with a dash of olive oil and some chopped capers and chive with a few baby potatoes On the nose :- after 15 minutes in the cooler the nose oddly still felt a little bit closed off but the oak element was still lingering Left it alone and opened a beer while prepping the haddock Around room temperature the nutty aspect is alive and kicking and almond and spiced pear are coming to the fore Things just picked up.. On the palate :- this is where the battle lines get drawn.. Just wow.. Initial sweeping waves of light papaya and guava with a dab of chopped pineapple almost tune in to the overlapping textured layers of crème brûlée and its structure isn't as far removed from Roussanne ( that's just my opinion ) as you might think It has a slight oily texture and with the faint oak undertones added to the nutty/almond infusion you get a real sense of this wine's barrel fermented origins The finish is spectacularly lengthy and indulgent and those layers are still appearing with herb and apricot Vintage on vintage Ted's star has been on the rise and I think this is perhaps my favourite vintage yet! Oh I know I played safe with fish but I think this style of SB really opens up the floor to such a wider variety of food matches ( it'll be pan fried chicken breasts and mushroom sauce next time ) which from memory I did serve alongside an earlier vintage ( I think ) Summing up.. This is such a fantastic wine and if I could take the bottle to bed without Cheryl saying I'm taking things too far, I would! Probably the best SB of any style currently on the site and for its price point on any site! If you find something that matches this for complexity and intriguing layers for 12 quid please give me a call... My love of SB is widely known but I don't love this merely because it's a Sauvignon Blanc, I love it because it's brilliant.... That sounded Oprah-Esq Thanks once again for crafting out this sublime drop for us Bill & Claudia Ted your time has finally come for 5 big one's.... #Ted

Santolin Aliferous Pinot Noir 2016

£27.50

* Hilary’s Special Stuff * Can I open the floor and simply ask WHY the bloody hell people aren't talking about this wine... ?? This is the sort of thing that Hilary Briss would be serving up to his “ locals “ this is indeed “ special stuff “ or as I would call it “ proper gear “ that’s a Yorkshire thing It captures the whole essence of what constitutes quality wine I’m not a serial reviewer, but this is a wow wine and it’s special enough to more than warrant a few words of acclaim. On the nose :- plenty of fresh and vibrant fragrance/flavours of raspberry and cherry mixed in with earthy mushroom and cinnamon ( great contrast ) feels aromatic It’s heady ( you keep going back for another sniff ) This is probably the significant other to Caroline’s Press in terms of profile and contrast ( if you like that, you’ll love this ) It has such an expression of place and time and its driven right through its core ( its hard to put into words ) On the palate :- structure wise it’s sound even for a young Pinot with cherry and freshly crushed raspberries and truffle with hedge-growth coming through with the delicate lick of French oak coming into view on the finish with a sizzle of bacon and farmyard qualities I’ve had some brilliant Pinot’s in my 4 years here.. Daryl’s Russian River Gerd’s Sandstein Caroline’s Press Phil’s Grasshopper And the latest recruit Olly’s Masters & Jack is another favourite I enjoyed the Santolin Family Reserve but this eases up the bar a notch! If you love Pinot and haven’t got onboard this yet, then what the hell are you playing at This is youthful and still pretty playful but has balls and a really savoury underbelly that really showcases the contrast between light and playful meeting up with the butch and savoury characteristics and a darker nature * Cue licking of teeth * It’s at the top of the price league for Naked Pinot’s but equally this is absolute premium Yarra Pinot and still feels like a snip at £16.50 It’ll be part of my Christmas Day proceedings that’s for sure! Adrian & Rebecca this is simply stunning As for me I’m going to cry through Hilary’s letterbox for another sample of “ special stuff “ Cheers

The Brave Goose Landscape Shiraz 2016

£18.99

* The Reserved Goose * I’ll start off with the foodie apologies, in that perhaps I didn’t do this shiraz justice after a hard shift at work in freezing conditions so I opted for an easy tea ( meat feast Pizza ) but I still wanted something a bit more than just a midweek route one wine... so Enter the Goose On the nose :- plenty of interest here with dark fruit coming forward and a slightly earthy aroma matched with a nip of coffee ( more mocha than espresso ) with liquorice wrapped around the spice Palate wise :- yep there’s the dark fresh fruit and the coffee that is very much lurking behind every sip with nutmeg and those ever so slight earthy savoury elements that help knit this up with an ever so slight dab of chocolate on the finish ( just a dab ) At this point in most shiraz reviews I like to add that my love affair with all things shiraz dates back to my early wine drinking days ( my gateway into the red wine world ) and once upon a time Australian shiraz was my commander in chief. From the Barossa to McLaren Vale to wherever, basically if it was shiraz and tagged Australian I was on top of it! However nowadays I like to play around a bit more and venture into different countries but whatever the guise whether it be shiraz or Syrah my taste has shifted slightly and I look less for fruit bombs with a grenade attached and more for the savoury and dryer natured offerings that the Northern Rhône spits out so well ( but I still need the size and weight ) I'm loving South African Syrah at the minute This has a lot of restraint and elegance on the finish, it does have a slight bit of oompah about it but the control is such that it’s never really out of 2nd gear in that respect The tannins are soft and balanced ( nothing to get your teeth into here ) This most certainly isn’t your typical Australian shiraz and doesn’t come strutting out of some outback watering hole like some notorious rugged gunslinger but by the same token it doesn’t swagger out of some lavish bathroom with its robe and slippers on either ( maybe best not mentioning bath robes in this post Weinstein world ) Anyway moving on.. My shout would be do this justice and give her some proper meat ( a nice lump of fresh ribeye would hit of the spot ) A refined shiraz that trades power for style and offers up something well worth looking at and the Manley Shiraz crowd would love this ( some noticeable similarities despite the geographical gap ) this sits somewhere between 3.5 and 4 hearts ( 3.75 or something ? ) Great stuff Nina this is another very worthy addition to the Naked shiraz stable Cheers I’m now off to burn my bathrobe amid growing speculation over my whereabouts and activity last night...

Villebois Pouilly Fume 2016

£22.99

* Fuming Fantastic * I’ve often found when I’ve broken into the French stronghold of the Loire volt, that perhaps maybe I don’t quite get the appeal of what the gold plated twin appellations of Sancerre & Pouilly Fume have to offer.. I fully respect the wine, but I guess it’s like walking into an office party without music ( that special key ingredient is clearly missing, or what I need in a party or in this case Sauvignon Blanc ) As most know I’m a fully paid up member of the New Zealand SB club, yet despite this lacking the initial verve and vigour of a good Marlborough savvy and with a limited tropical fruit base this offers something intrinsically linked yet wholly different I think the terroir is clearly the driving force behind this wine ( Limestone/Clay/Chalky ? ) That old world slightly austere charm meeting with the smoke and intrigue that shrouds this wine really makes it feel special and with that unmistakable gun barrel/flint nose you almost feel like you’ve been dropped in the middle of some Nievre vineyard with the early morning mist slowly creeping over the landscape in an almost foreboding manner For me it offered a great sense of place ( as good/great wine does ) I also think that what this gives up in the “ grassy stakes “ you gain in minerality but there’s still a touch of fruit lurking behind it’s stone faced exterior with a dab of wild gooseberry and a slice of apple which carve a slight hole in the stone but doesn’t fully penetrate ( think of a shovel hitting tough stone laden ground ) ( the soil in a man’s heart is stonier ) Sorry that’s just something which popped in my head while writing this out.. Besides, it’s Christmas and if you can’t get a bit of Stephen King in now when can you! Honestly, I actually think this is my favourite French white on the site and has a real elegance to it I served this up alongside Lamb but knowingly it would sing with seafood ( think shellfish or a lightly grilled fillet of fish ) I’m feeling back at the party and somebody has turned the music on! Who says the French can’t have a good time.. Joost & Miguela this is seriously classy and really showcases the region with great expression So while the eternal struggle/battle continues with the old world V’s new and the subsequent opinion’s it divides, I say let’s make love not war and enjoy a bit of both Or at least for the time being anyway..

Villebois Distinction Sauvignon Blanc 2016

£13.99

* Sauvignon In Sheep's Clothing * Well, this has thrown me.. You know the VW advert ( it sounds like a golf and looks like a golf.. like a golf but not a golf ) If you haven't, don't worry about it.. Well this actually feels like a kiwi Sauvignon and tastes like a kiwi Sauvignon... honestly ( no honestly ) On a dreary summers night this absolutely nailed it for me.. ( something other than rain in the air but it was almost tangible ) I've had Rod's Martinborough SB recently and that is a kiwi SB set up like a French offering, well this swings the pendulum full circle again and it's roots may lie in the Loire but it's energy and forward style run towards Marlborough.. I served this up with a pan fried chicken dish and a rich mushroom sauce but it would sing and sing again with moules mariniere with plenty of cream ( I'm a Yorkshireman that's how we do it ) and garlic/parsley and a whole host of shallots and a couple of door stop sized lumps of warm French bread or maybe a well dressed crab.. On the nose :- plenty of lively grapefruit and snappy gooseberry and a bunch of cooking apples and freshly chopped lime maybe a touch of passion fruit as it gently warms with bell pepper ( almost erotic ) On the palate :- this is where the battle for this wines soul is battled out.. but neither is it won nor lost Lime and gooseberry that really supercharge this are key early players and the initial tropical front really throws you.. It doesn't fully turn, perhaps it just flickers towards the flinty finish then the gradual introduction of a saline character matched with an almost fully mineral finish just seamlessly catch you out ? It's such a great almost uncomplicated wine and I say that with respect, it almost effortlessly flushes the back palate and what it might lack in complexity it makes up for in genuine graft ( it works you over without expansively dilly-dallying about ) The bottle simply vanished before my eyes! It's far more than just a quaffer but bloody hell its so easy to fall into that quaffing trap here I've loved Joost & Miguela's ( Prestige/Sancerre/Pouilly Fume offerings and this falls happily into that spectrum of quality wares ) Oh I wasn't going to mention the label but I loved that shade of grey used ( who'd have thought " Grey " ) again a timeless touch ( or just me going for full gush! Who knows ) I don't know the production volume on this, but I'll eat my hat if this doesn't sell out inside of 8 weeks.. If you like or love the elements that a Marlborough SB throws at you then buy this.. Alternatively, if you like or love the restraint and tighter flintier mineral finish that a good Sancerre per say may offer up then buy this.. Or if for some other reason you are unsure, then just buy this... People speak of the " special relationship " we have with America but for Sauvignon Blanc lovers the real " special relationship " is the contrasting love affair that the motherland and the adopted homeland have between them ( I've always loved NZ SB but in recent times I've admittedly grown fond of a host of french savvies and despite sitting around 12 thousand miles apart the relationship despite differing styles between all things Sauvignon Blanc remain strong.. A Sauvignon Blanc which nods towards its adopted homeland but still manages to finish the race in smug French fashion.. Joost & Miguela you've hit the nail on its point and left the head looking for answers Unusually cross styled wine and for 10 quid feels like value to me Cheers guys

Small and Small Serious Sauvignon Blanc 2016 - Wolfie

£18.99

* Lone Wolf * It's probably best making an admission before rabbling on.. I had this a few weeks back during a heavily pollen laden summers night and my nose and to a lesser extent taste buds suffered a beating ( my nose is still on the washing line ) Anyway.. I served this off chilled with ham and mushroom tagliatelle and a rich carbonara sauce with a sprinkling of Parmesan.. Just the job! On the nose :- in all honesty I could give you a load of waffle and say this and that but in reality with my nose in A&E I got very little.. So I'm not going to ride a bull that quite frankly wasn't there for me to ride ( next time hopefully I'll draw you more of a picture ) On the palate :- the initial flavour has a slightly old world feel with a nip of smoke and flint but still holds that more archetypal loose fresh gooseberry feel.. It's the nuances and subtle hints that are making up the ground which really give a good inclination of the way in which this wine is heading ( long term ) A subtle hint of banana and buttered toast ( not as toasty as per say the Cloudy Bay Te Koko ) plus there's a nice feint vein of oak running through the heart of this wine ( don't be scared ) The secondary flavours come as honey and nectarine with maybe, maybe guava and on the finish as it settles perhaps a very so slight lick of vanilla Maybe it's slightly more acidic than I'd probably think of given the style but ultimately it's no real issue, it has a real richness on the finish that showcases its life in French oak.. My musings a few weeks back were that this was good but far from the finished article.. I think that another 6 months bottle time will really help knit this together and become something special I also firmly believe that we need to support these type of projects, because you simply won't see this sort of style of rather craft in a supermarket and it pushes the boundaries and margins even in its infancy, I get the feeling that with patience you'll get something that could become spectacular and with time become like it's " small " siblings and evolve into something that makes a mockery of its price tag.. I remember practically falling over myself voting for this wine in the crush and I've watched and waited for " The Wolf " to finally come home!! Awatere is maybe my Marlborough sub region of choice with SB and I know this was born with fruit from the vineyard that gives us probably the best representation of Marlborough SB on the site ( Sylvia Reserve ) that's just my current opinion.. But knowing that the ( 17 ) vintage will be from the larger Wairau Valley should be interesting and will likely be different again given the soil in the Wairau is more clay laden rather than the gravelly soil you see in parts around the Awatere ( interested to hear your thoughts on this Bill or Claudia ) I'd say this style or type of wine suits food rather than just a quaff so I'd maybe plan something ahead or around this.. I know this review isn't as definitive as maybe the wine deserves but I've got a few bottles tucked away and will review again in a few months time.. Bloody Hay fever.. Really appreciate the effort on this Bill & Claudia and I honestly think this will become one of the sites big players ( in time ) Look forward to welcoming Theodore back soon #Ted Another premium offering

Rod Easthope Hawke's Bay Pinot Gris 2016

£13.99

* Gris-Revolution * Well... this is now my fourth vintage of Rod's solid PG and looking at some old notes all of the ( 13.. 14.. 15.. and now the 16 have each had 4 hearts ) Consistently brilliant stuff.. I served this up alongside some fragrant Asian infused ( North Yorkshire ) lamb burgers I think before jotting anything down it's almost like you can't say too much more, which hasn't already been said about this wine and you find yourself in a fashion going over old ground, but.. hey ho This vintage is slightly more fruit forward than the previous vintage and that very characteristic tropical wraparound is very evident from the off.. ( How many Pineapples are actually in this ?? ) On the nose :- floral and seemingly aromatic with a hint of spice and gun smoke that tries to keep up with those huge tropic knee trembling tones On the palate :- Pineapple.. Pineapple chunks.. Pineapple segments.. Erm PINEAPPLE! That about covers that.. no actually, you do get a lot more tropical flavours nestled amongst the debris.. Mango and nectarine are hidden deep and there's a nice touch of peach and blossom that trickle through Not quite as off dry as previous earlier vintages, but it still has a little nod to its Alsatian cousin with a dab of spice on the finish ( which I go for ) I'd also say, that this is another white that I don't really chill ( keep it out and then stick the bottle in the fridge for 10/15 minutes ) Job's a buck! It's good reading that Pinot Gris's popularity bandwagon continues to roll on over in New Zealand and it's no great surprise that Naked and the winemakers over in NZ are tapping into the growing trend Gris Revolution! I can't really add much more other than Rod doesn't make bad wine and I think if he decided to bottle his own piss we'd still be falling over each other to snap up a bottle! Questions may remain over how Naked would market that.. Perhaps, hang fire on that one. Rod, for the time being.. Cheers mate and keep up the stellar work.. 👍🏻

Rod Easthope Martinborough Sauvignon Blanc 2016

£14.99

* Martinborough Majesty * Served this up alongside pan fried chicken breasts with oregano and garlic butter with a couple of homemade crispy potato fritters.. Admittedly this would sing better than Pavarotti with some fresh seafood but the chicken did a job against this.. I know historically I've struggled with Rod's style of SB as he opts for restraint and subtlety over blockbuster hallmark kiwi flavours and you'd almost be forgiven in actually thinking that they had origin somewhere inside the Loire rather than New Zealand.. I'm somebody who generally craves those big bold flavours in SB by the way! On The Nose :- exotic ripe fruits ( Mango with hints of Nectarine & Peach ) plenty of fresh notes of hedge trimmings and a slightly herbaceous lingering scent On The Palate :- slightly dry nature with a mouthwatering wraparound of tropical fruit which sneaks up on you rather than blows you away.. Good hints of Papaya and grapefruit with a nudge of bell pepper yet it's the front running characteristics of the minerality which take you back initially which you'd see in old world SB's ( slightly flinty and maybe saline with that wet stone feel ) It's the new world element that gives way but it doesn't abandon the wine completely and eventually finds its way back to the glass on the wraparound Just a bit of geography for those who like that sort of thing and for those who basically think all Kiwi SB is born and bread in Marlborough.. Martinborough is a town in the Wairarapa district which sits in the Wellington region which sits near the foot of the north island and which is more commonly associated with Pinot Noir and some of the big boy producers ( Ata Rangi & Craggy Range ) but some of the whites are getting plenty of attention nowadays and rightly so.. On another day this might have divided my feelings but this isn't another day and the coming together of old world style meeting new world flair has gazzumped me! From what I've read 2016 was a great vintage for NZ as a whole and Martinborough got a mention as one of the buzz areas where conditions did the business This does feel distinctly boutique and something which would easily surpass it's price point if bought from an independent for example for my money this is currently the best SB that's available on the site ( I've looked at what's currently in stock ) and that's said with respect and having sampled almost all of what is available currently.. Basically if you love Sauvignon Blanc buy it and if you don't love Sauvignon Blanc try it.. Cracking SB, Rod and I'll guarantee this won't see much dust on the virtual shelves! A wine with true Martinborough majesty...

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